San Francisco! (June 15-17)

The 15th was mostly traveling to San Francisco, mostly we managed to avoid the traffic.  We settled into our hotel, Cow Hollow Motor Inn, the name sounds kind of strange, but apparently this section of the city is named Cow Hollow.  We went and had some very tasty wood-fired pizza from Amici's East Coast Pizzaria for dinner, which has made all other pizza seem just not quite as good.  They also had a really tasty gnocchi appetizer as well.  We didn't do much else the first day, all the driving in the last two days made for a much needed rest before heading out the next day to see the city.

Thursday we decided to go see the California Academy of Sciences, it seemed like a good place for Richard and I to visit.  We saw the planetarium, the rainforest, the really awesome living roof, a snake exhibit, an albino alligator and many more things.  I stopped in one of the stores and found a neat little sea horse ornament to go on our tree.  After spending most of the day here we went and checked out a park by the Golden Gate Bridge to take some pictures of the beautiful sunset.

Friday we walked down to the dock for a trip to Angel Island and Alcatraz.  If/when we get to this area again I would like to go spend more time on Angel Island, there is so much history and so many things to see that we just didn't get to see everything in the short time we were stopped there.  Alcatraz is full of so much history, it was pretty neat to see.  There are also quite a few nesting birds on the island so we got to see lots of little baby chicks.  Walking seemed like such a good idea to get there, but I was pretty tired by the time we got back from our tours.  We went to the Fisherman's Wharf on the way back to the hotel and enjoyed some tasty clam chowder in a sour dough roll.  Yummy!  Then because I for some reason decided we needed to get everything in I figured we should walk back to the hotel by way of the crookedest street in the US, it is crooked, it was fun to take pictures of but OH my is that on a hill!  I was very much ready for bed by the time we got back to our hotel.  

The next morning we headed out of town over a very foggy Golden Gate Bridge and headed on to the next leg of our journey.


Neither Richard or I are really city people, but if for some strange reason we had to live in a city, we think San Francisco isn't all that bad.  We had a good time there, someday I wouldn't mind going back and seeing some of the things we missed this go around.

Angel Island

Alcatraz

 

Crater Lake (June 13-14)

After breakfast with the Hoppers we headed south to Crater Lake, after hours of driving we got to the lake just as the sun was setting.  So beautiful!  We then proceeded back down to our cabin that we rented.  The cabin was covered in snow and in the woods.  I think if we were to go again for just a night like this we would have stayed at the lodge with a view of the lake, but it was cheaper to stay down at the cabins so that is what I had booked.  After getting settled in we ate the Subway we picked up on the way there and headed to bed early so we could get up and snowshoe the next morning. 

For breakfast I had some danish that I had bought in Vancouver and then we headed back up to the lake.  It was an insanely clear day and the snow was almost blinding.  So absolutely beautiful.  The lake is so majestic.  Part of me wishes we could have gone later in the year when you can go down and boat on the lake but the other part is very happy we saw it covered in snow, it was absolutely gorgeous!

Following our snowshoe adventure we went and checked out the store and mini museum with info on the lake.  I picked up a Christmas ornament and a t-shirt and we headed out.  We had some beautiful views of Mt. Shasta and then settled down for the night in Redding.  

Crater Lake was beautiful and we certainly are planning on going back someday!

Visiting the Hoppers (June 11-13)

The first couple days of our vacation we stopped off at the Hoppers in Vancouver to catch up and visit with them.  I wish they lived closer, they really are great friends.  The night we got there we went and watched X-Men First Class, it was what it was expected to be.  I liked it, but I'm not a huge X-Men fan or anything so I wasn't blown away by it or anything.  Very entertaining though. 

The next day we had planned on going to the zoo but decided to go to the farmers market instead. It was a nice relaxing stroll through the market and I had a very tasty Belgium waffle.  Yummy!  Dereck seemed enjoyed the music while we ate, he sure is getting big, I can't believe he is already two years old.  I found these really neat bird baths that I think would be fun to make someday.  For dinner Valerie and I went and got Thai food take out and borrowed a Cricut cartridge from Lindsey so I could cut out a few things to use for Sara's bachelorette party boxes.  Later that night ended up doing some shopping to get the paper and such that I would need for the boxes.  While we were off doing that Richard and Adam played some magic and visited.  We then came back and proceeded to cut out lots of little rings and such for the boxes.  It was nice to visit with Valerie while we did that, have I mentioned how much I wish they lived closer?

On Monday we were heading to Crater Lake but we didn't have any plans for that day really so we stayed and visited a little and then went and had an incredibly yummy breakfast at a place that Adam and Valerie had never eaten at but always heard it was good.  It was good, I'll try to remember to tell them we want to go there again next time we visit.  To bad I can't remember the  name of the place.

I'm not sure why but I didn't take any pictures while we were there, but we did get a picture of Valerie and I before we left from the restaurant.

Guys and Dolls at the 5th Avenue Theater

I love going to the theater so when these tickets went on sale for black Friday I just had to pick them up.  I called the whole family and tried to get everyone to go but they decided they wanted to see Oklahoma! instead (which later got changed to Aladdin).  So I just bought the two tickets to this and Richard and I got to go on a nice little date.  It was an awesome production, great singers, great songs, great story.  I just love Guys and Dolls!